The Australian share market may have taken a hammering over the last 18 months, but Australian fine wine on the secondary wine market has enjoyed a remarkable period of price growth.

Langton’s Classified Australian Wine Index, a key secondary wine market indicator, shows that over the last 2 years Australian fine wine values have increased by almost 64 per cent whereas the stock market has fallen by about 39 per cent.

By comparison the international fine wine investment market, based largely on the great wines of Bordeaux, has fallen by roughly 20 per cent during the same period.

This will come as a huge surprise to observers of Australian wine.

“Growth of 64 per cent is an incredible statistic,” said Langton’s fine wine principal Andrew Caillard MW. "To outsiders it’s almost as unbelievable as China’s recent second quarter growth figures.”

“Langton’s Classification of Australian Wine Index shows underlying confidence in ultra-fine Australian wine and its intrinsic rarity. Wine buyers and collectors have gravitated towards classic, mostly red, Australian wines and vintages.”

“Our detractors love to talk about Australia’s industrial wines. However when it comes to Australian fine wine, it is ultimately a very finite and ever-depleting stock, based on extraordinary individual vineyard sites. From an international perspective there’s actually not much of it available compared to top Bordeaux and Burgundy. Judging by overall volume of demand and prices, Australian wine collectors are clearly wishing there was more of the good stuff around.”